Brothers
by Moonlitdaydream
Summary: Blood is thicker than water. But blood can cause far more heartache. Sirius mourns and James is there.


People often compared Sirius Black to a dog, his laugh, the way he shook his shaggy hair. "And the smell" James would always add (earning himself a punch on the arm) "don't forget the smell."

But it was with a cat like grace that Sirius leapt across the room and landed himself right on top of his death eater target. James, although somewhat occupied in the casting of his own defensive spells, watched with heart in mouth as the Death Eater landed a few good punches before Sirius could gain the upper hand. Which he did, he always did. He expertly dodged a final kick to the chest before knocking the Death Eater's wand out of his hand. His own was quickly pointed at the Death Eater's temple.

"One more move out of you and your brains will be soup" he snarled viciously. His handsome face was stone like, eyes a fire of hatred and fury.

James had his opponent wandless and tied in thick ropes so he hurried over to help his best friend. "You alright?" he asked, eyeing the trickle of blood coming from Sirius' nose. James cast a super body bind curse on the Death Eater, who fell back to the ground with a heavy thud.

"I always am" Sirius replied with a small smile, but James could see the distress in the way he moved. He suspected there was a slightly bigger injury, but now was not the time to question it. Together they sat down on the floor and waited for the Aurors to show up.

James and Sirius made a good team. Although they were often joined by Remus, who was a more than capable dueller, the two of them had an instinctive understanding of the way the other fought. They could predict the others next move, and were always on hand to join forces against an opponent. They never took risks. Despite their reputation, neither was as reckless as they seemed. Hours of planning went into every mission, maps were obtained, profiles of opponents read. Both had too much to lose if something went wrong.

James and Lily's wedding was mere months away, and he wasn't about to do anything stupid like die. Not when he was finally truly and completely happy. And Sirius. Sirius simply loved his life too much. "And his face" James would chip in (earning himself another punch) "he doesn't want to mess up being pretty."

Lately however Sirius was worrying James. He was becoming careless, leaping in to fight physically rather than with his wand. He had become more inclined to attack first, think later. Just last week he had been cornered by five Death Eaters after storming off to a suspected stronghold without waiting for backup. Luckily for him James had Remus had arrived in the nick of time, to see two unconscious Death Eaters, and Sirius about to be tortured under Cruciatus by the remaining three. The fury of a werewolf best friend and an honorary brother had not boded well for the Death Eaters.

Now, Sirius was staring moodily at the floor, wand still trained on their captives. "Sirius?" James asked.

"Yeah?"

"What's the matter?"

Sirius looked up, blood still gently flowing out of his nose and, James was alarmed to see, tears forming in his eyes. He blinked them away, just as James raised his wand to siphon the blood and heal the bruised nose.

"Thanks" Sirius whispered, voice slightly wobbly. He coughed and sat up straighter, wincing a little because of what James now realised was probably a broken rib, "these aurors are taking their time" he added in a weak attempt to change the subject.

James let out a humourless chuckle "they know we've got it covered" he said "these two aren't going anywhere." He nodded his head in the direction of the captured Death Eaters, who, relieved of their wands, were as helpless as children. Ugly, stupid, evil children.

"Anyway" James continued "don't change the subject. There's something wrong, I know it. You've not been right for a little while and you can't-"

He was cut off by an exasperated "alright, blimey James you don't half chatter on!" Sirius looked slightly amused, before his handsome face fell again. "Regulus is dead" he said abruptly.

James dropped his wand in surprise, gold sparks shooting out of the end. "What? How do you know? When?"

"Some information got its way back to Dumbledore. Some Death Eater spy of his, I don't know who. He told me two weeks ago." Sirius sniffed, eyes filling up again.

James blinked "two weeks?! Why didn't you say anything?"

Sirius shook his long hair away from his face. "Doesn't matter" he replied "it's not like he didn't have it coming. Joining the Death Eaters. Stupid Git." Sirius was evidently trying to sound airy and unconcerned but was failing miserably.

James wasn't sure what to say. Sirius had always refused to discuss his brother but over the years he had let slip many details of how difficult their relationship was.

James remembered Regulus from Hogwarts. He was almost as good looking as his older brother, but without the brightness, the light. In the years they had shared at school James had never seen the Black brothers have anything resembling a friendly conversation. But he had been there the night Sirius had learnt his little brother had gone to Voldermort. He had seen the loss and utter devastation on his best friend's face. Sirius had raged and screamed and shouted, before getting as drunk as possible in the Hog's Head. He cared. James wondered if he cared too much.

Right now Sirius was properly crying for his brother, for all the lost opportunities and everything that could have been. James instinctively put his arm around Sirius and let him cry into his shoulder. They stayed this way for several minutes until they heard the pop of Ministry aurors apparating outside.

Sirius quickly sat up straighter, wiping his eyes on his sleeve. "Sorry" he muttered.

"Hey, there's no need for that" James replied softly. They stood up, Sirius a bit more carefully than James, and waved their wands in unison. The Death Eaters rose in their ropes like hideous puppets, and began to float out of the room. Sirius stopped suddenly, and put a hand on James' arm.

"We need to stop him James. Stop them all. He can't have died for nothing. I don't think I could stand that." A fierce look of determination came across Sirius' face.

James gave a grim smile "we will. But we do it together. No more going off on your own. You promise me?"

"Promise."

And the two brothers stepped out to face the next fight together.


End file.
